Lemon-Thyme pound cake

 

Ingredients

• 18 tablespoons (2 sticks plus 2 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened, plus more for pan
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted, plus more for pan
• 12 sprigs fresh lemon thyme, plus more for garnish
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Finely grated zest of 1 lemon (about 2 teaspoons zest)
• 1 1/4 cups sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 6 large eggs, room temperature
• Muscat and Lemon Thyme Syrup

Directions

1. Step 1

   Preheat oven to 350 degrees, with rack in lower third. Butter six (1-cup) molds of a mini angel food cake pan or mini bundt pan. Dust with flour, and tap out excess. Pick 2 teaspoons small sprigs from tops of lemon thyme sprigs, and divide evenly among molds; set aside. Coarsely chop remaining lemon thyme leaves to make 2 tablespoons; whisk chopped lemon thyme with the flour, salt, and lemon zest in a small bowl. Set aside.

2. Step 2

   Put butter into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Cream on medium speed until pale and fluffy, scraping down sides of bowl as needed, about 4 minutes. Add sugar. Mix until pale and fluffy, scraping down sides of bowl as needed, about 3 minutes.

3. Step 3

   Mix in vanilla. Add eggs, 1 at a time, mixing well after each addition; mix until smooth. Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture in 3 batches, mixing until just combined after each addition.

4. Step 4

   Spoon batter over lemon thyme in prepared molds. Smooth tops using a small rubber spatula. Firmly tap the pan on counter to eliminate any air bubbles. Bake until a cake tester inserted into centers comes out clean, about 40 minutes. Let cakes cool slightly in pan on a wire rack, about 10 minutes. Run a knife around edges of molds to loosen; unmold cakes. Place each cake on a serving plate, and drizzle with about 1 tablespoon syrup. Garnish with lemon thyme sprig.